If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Hey all
I'll be posting some pictures from my recent A380-hunting trip to Hong Kong.
prior to this, I attempted to get on the A380 thrice before (JNB-DXB got downgraded due to the wing cracks, DXB-JED-DXB never seemed realistic, and a KUL-HKG-KUL was booked, but it got downgraded again, but cancelled that trip as a whole).

Frustrated by all this, I decided to convince my parents to go to Hong Kong on what is one of the world's leading carriers: Singapore Airlines, while also catching their A380 on the popular SIN-HKG-SIN route. Along with this, we also decided to go to Taipei in Taiwan.
Once again, I will post links to ALL parts of the long TR, but I'll write something brief about the CMB-SIN-CMB segments

Anyways, on to the flights.
SQ469 on 20th August 2014, operated by 9V-STV an Airbus A330-343E.
My expectations were quite high, and SQ met those. Right from the online booking, up until arrival into SIN. The SIN ground staff was a bit rude as you'll read, but other than that, they were fantastic. Comfy seats, delicious food, great IFE content (slight lag was there), awesome beverage selection and wonderful crew. Other than the slow IFE, the washroom was a bit on the dirty side. Considering the fact that an FA had just cleaned it before I used it, this was not up to the mark. Full flight, and everything was on time. The mammoth flight followed, and boy was I impressed!
I found a UL A320 stalking me while on the mammoth:

The return flight was no different, perhaps the best of them all? Toilet was stinky stinky stinky. And that stench was there just a few minutes after I boarded, rather a few seconds after! Other than that, FANTASTIC crew, out of this world food, exceptional service, on time = MIND BLOWN!
This flight was not as full as the outbound, but perhaps SQ had enough of passengers on the flight to keep them happy! Just 4 or 5 seats empty in my section of Economy. I've flown into SIN thrice on 3 airlines: Emirates, Cathay Pacific and now Singapore Airlines. With time, I shall post mini TRs of the other two airlines. SQ were clearly in a different class. I was very sleepy so I did not pick up much....
This flight was operated on the 26th August 2014 by 9V-STS.

I will be on my first A340 flight this Friday (24th October), on my way to Bengaluru.
I hope to share some positive experiences with you all!

Hey all
I'll be posting some pictures from my recent A380-hunting trip to Hong Kong.
prior to this, I attempted to get on the A380 thrice before (JNB-DXB got downgraded due to the wing cracks, DXB-JED-DXB never seemed realistic, and a KUL-HKG-KUL was booked, but it got downgraded again, but cancelled that trip as a whole).

Frustrated by all this, I decided to convince my parents to go to Hong Kong on what is one of the world's leading carriers: Singapore Airlines, while also catching their A380 on the popular SIN-HKG-SIN route. Along with this, we also decided to go to Taipei in Taiwan.
Once again, I will post links to ALL parts of the long TR, but I'll write something brief about the CMB-SIN-CMB segments

I will be on my first A340 flight this Friday (24th October), on my way to Bengaluru.
I hope to share some positive experiences with you all!

AMSTERDAM -- The last three-engined widebody airplane in commercial passenger service made its last revenue flight Sunday, consigning to history yet another symbol of the jet age. The last flight operated by a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines service from Montreal, landed early Sunday in Amsterdam. The exit from service of the MD-11 marks the demise of the last intercontinental, double-aisle jet made by a Western planemaker other than Boeing or Airbus.

The event attracted hundreds of aviation enthusiasts from all over the world, who booked a seat on flight KL672 to witness firsthand the retirement of an airplane that made its name as the last American competitor to Boeing jumbos. To many of them -- a flight attendant estimated enthusiasts occupied nearly half of the 285 seats -- it was an occasion to relive an era they said had ended.

"When I was young, you went to an airport and every airline had its own type," said Achim Linde, a 47-year-old architect from Berlin who had planned a vacation to North America to be on the last MD-11 flight. "The Russians flew Soviet jets, the French flew Caravelles made by Sud-Aviation. Now it's just Airbus and Boeing."

The airline, mindful of the growing clout of the avgeek subculture -- something between a hobby and a lifestyle, whose devotees crisscross the globe in pursuit of unusual airplanes -- had planned events in Montreal and Amsterdam around the flight. Fire trucks gave the jet a water-cannon salute at both ends, airport vehicles escorted it in a motorcade when it landed, and on-board meals included special sweets with the MD-11 logo and champagne. Passengers could also access the flight deck when the plane was on the ground, a near-impossible feat since 9/11.

Yet, for all its romantic cachet and sleek lines, the MD-11 was a commercial flop that sold only 200 units over a short production run from 1988 to 2000, and was haunted by a poor safety record. Conceived by McDonnell Douglas as a bigger successor to the DC-10, which was also retired this year, it was plagued by issues including higher fuel burn than anticipated and poor reliability in its initial years, which cost airlines money.

Pilots loved the roomy cockpit with large digital displays, but were less enamored of the plane's nervous temperament. The MD-11 was famously hard to land, and especially balky when the wind came from its side. Landing crashes accounted for five of the nine MD-11 accidents. According to data published by Boeing and updated through 2013, it had had 3.62 accidents with hull losses per million departures, far more than contemporary large jets. The MD-11 was almost four times more likely to crash, statistically, than the Boeing 747 series 400.

"The flight deck was the best I've worked in, but as far as aerodynamics, the plane didn't fly well," a captain for Italian airline Alitalia, who asked to remain anonymous, told International Business Times during a flight in 2007 aboard a Boeing 777, the airplane that largely killed off the MD-11. Able to fly farther and with more passengers, but using just two engines, the 777 was much more fuel efficient, and swept up the market for medium-to-large size long-range widebodies. The trijet's sales disaster was a prime cause in the demise of McDonnell Douglas, which was bought by Boeing in 1997.

KLM captain Erwin Gabel, who commanded the last flight, would not speak disparagingly of the jet he was ushering into aviation's hall of fame (the landing, by the way, was remarkably smooth). He did say, speaking to passengers at the boarding gate in Montreal, it was time for more fuel-efficient models.

The MD-11's cargo version soldiers on, with FedEx as its largest operator, and will likely fly on for several years. The passenger models have lost nearly all value except as sources of parts for other airplanes -- which will be the fate of KLM's last one, said the final flight's first officer, Michiel De Bruyne. It will be flown to a storage location, most likely in the United States, and taken apart for spares.

But even on its way to the scrap yard, the last ship of its kind went out with class.

KLM christens all of its aircraft with individual names; its 10 MD-11s bore those of distinguished women, such as Florence Nightingale and Maria Montessori. The one that made the last flight displayed proudly the name of a Dutch icon of style: Audrey Hepburn.

Serendib - I do hope SQ increase to 11 weekly flights: keep the existing one as is (as it provides some great connections, especially to Australia and New Zealand) and perhaps a 4 weekly during the day for O&D or VFR traffic. Maybe they could start this with Silk Air A320s/B73Hs, or a SQ service as is with an B772... But nothing official.

Serendib - I do hope SQ increase to 11 weekly flights: keep the existing one as is (as it provides some great connections, especially to Australia and New Zealand) and perhaps a 4 weekly during the day for O&D or VFR traffic. Maybe they could start this with Silk Air A320s/B73Hs, or a SQ service as is with an B772... But nothing official.

88gee - thanks for sharing such a wonderful experience with us!

Regards
Jish

If I can recall it correctly, In 1996 SQ used to operate Ten weekly flights to Colombo - seven weekly flights were operating during the night time and three weekly during the morning hours. When MH cut-down the international flights next year, SQ or D7 may take advantage on expanding the number of flights to overseas. I'm not too sure if MH will cut down the Colombo flights though.

Hmm! Does Silk Air currently operate B73H as well? I thought they have only A320 types in the fleet.

Really nice shots bro! Why they are using A340 to MAA? Any signs of Phase 2 construction works at CMB?

For CMB-MAA, the occupancy rate is high. UL has been using 340 for long time for some of the flights in MAA route.It may be economical to use in high occupancy short haul routes other than using low occupancy long haul routes.

Hey all, thank you so much for your replies!
Unfortunately I exceeded my bandwidth limit last evening, so I was unable to load the pictures and therefore, post the trip report.

Serendib - there were so many passengers on the flight, justifying the need for an A340! And no, sign of the new terminal construction just yet, sadly

Banuthev - Thank you! yes, it is a 767 belonging to Abercrombie & Kent, a luxury travel company from the UK.

Channa - thank you so much

Skyline - yes, I intend to post the trip report here, but due to time constrains and a slow internet, I am unable to do so, for now.
Yes, ADF does have some nice interiors, but why would they update it on a plane leaving the fleet soon? It would have made a lot more sense if all A330s had the updated interiors: ALC and ALG, I'm assuming still have the old interiors...
Shame about the A310 yes, but think about it from an avgeek context - isn't it nice and refreshing to see an A310? Compared to the usual A320s and A330s? And they are increasingly rare so I think for us its good to see, but not so good for the passenger traveling

Its a plane belonging to Abercrombie & Kent, a luxury travel company from the UK.
So I'm assuming it was a charter of some sort.

Also, interestingly, there was a Icelander B757 parked that I saw while I was taking off....

You're correct. I done a search about "Abercrombie & Kent" so i come to know Founder of Abercrombie & Kent Luxury Travel came to Colombo on his private B767 jet from Miami. That B757 wet-leased from Icelandair has 50 lie flat bed seats to transport the passengers who booked with this luxury travel group.